Bark in the Park benefit for Will May Memorial Dog Park will feature contests, services

Sunday

Apr 20, 2014 at 11:00 PMApr 21, 2014 at 12:26 AM

The Tuscaloosa Association of Realtors is calling out the dogs.The association, along with other sponsors, is inviting all dog owners to participate in Bark in the Park, which will benefit the Will May Memorial Dog Park, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. May 17 at Munny Sokol Park.

By Casey MutchlerSpecial to The Tuscaloosa News

The Tuscaloosa Association of Realtors is calling out the dogs.The association, along with other sponsors, is inviting all dog owners to participate in Bark in the Park, which will benefit the Will May Memorial Dog Park, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. May 17 at Munny Sokol Park. “It will be a recreational and educational dog festival. If there is a dog lover out there or someone with a giving heart, they are welcomed,” said Jack Ryan, a local Realtor and chairman of the Bark in the Park event.Ryan said that while the park is up and running, the park will need money to provide for regular maintenance. The dog park is named after Will May, a 13-year-old boy who died in a hunting accident two years ago. May’s family owns veterinary clinics in Tuscaloosa and Northport. A 5K race in Will May’s honor last year raised $43,000 to help create Tuscaloosa’s first dog park. “They wanted to perpetuate what Will May loved, and he loved dogs,” Ryan said. The event will include refreshments from McAlister’s Deli, Chick-fil-A and Dippin’ Dots for volunteers and the public. A range of services for dogs, such as grooming, washing and nail clipping, will be offered free.There will be contests and games, beginning with “Paws on Parade” with a former Miss Alabama judging the contest. There will also be a dog beauty walk, owner-dog lookalike contest and an award for the cutest dog in attendance. Admission to the event is free, with the Tuscaloosa Association of Realtors providing tents and tables for businesses.Local animal shelters also will be present, along with representatives of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, to provide information about medicine and care for animals. ZAP Professional Photography will be available on site to take photos of owners with their dogs, and radio station B101.7 will provide music. Tuscaloosa Association of Realtors has pledged to donate $5,000, and will be handing out a dog “swag bag” for the first few hundred dogs with gifts donated from local businesses inside. Ryan said organizers of the event have set a goal of raising $10,000, and they hope to go beyond that in an effort to do more work with the dog park.Other Bark in the Park sponsors include Crimson Homes, the Rosen Harwood law firm, D.R. Horton homebuilders, Bryant Bank and First Federal Bank.Anyone willing to volunteer for the event can contact Jack Ryan at 205-886-0187 or by email jack@jackryanhomes.com.“It will be a great event for everyone, and we are hoping to come back and do it again next year,” Ryan said. For more information, visit the Tuscaloosa Bark in the Park Facebook page.